Valtteri Bottas, a Finnish driver for Sauber, expressed his commitment to remaining in Formula 1 for the foreseeable future. He sees Audi’s entry into the sport as a significant opportunity to return to the front of the grid. Bottas achieved 10 race wins during his time with Mercedes but has not achieved a podium finish since joining Sauber. Despite this, he is not considering retiring and is excited about the future with the Swiss team. Audi’s complete acquisition of Sauber in 2026, when new technical regulations come into effect, could provide the platform for Bottas to compete for better results. He believes that having a major manufacturer like Audi enter the sport opens up opportunities for him. However, if the Audi project does not materialize, Bottas believes that the driver market for next year is wide open.
Bottas, who will turn 35 in August, points to Fernando Alonso’s continued success as evidence that age is not a barrier to performing at a high level in Formula 1. He does not have a specific timeline for how long he wants to continue his career, as he does not see his time in Formula 1 ending anytime soon.
Sauber has had a difficult start to the 2024 season, with both drivers failing to score points and being eliminated in Q1 in the first two rounds. Bottas believes that external factors have masked the true potential of Sauber’s C44 package and is optimistic that upcoming upgrades will improve the team’s competitiveness. He believes that in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, he could have reached Q2 if not for traffic during qualifying. He expects better results in the upcoming race in Melbourne and is hopeful that small improvements can bring the team closer to the top 10.